Universal influenza B vaccine induces broad and sustained protection, biomedical science researchers find
ATLANTA—A new universal flu vaccine protects against the influenza B virus, offers broad defense against different strains and enhances immune protection, according to a new study by researchers at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences. The double-coated protein nanoparticle vaccine, prepared with a stable moiety of the influenza virus (stem hemagglutinin (HA), induces a broad reactive immune response and provides strong and sustained cross-protection against influenza B virus strains of both lineages. The findings are published in the journal. Biomaterials. Influenza epidemics pose a major threat to public health, and influenza type B coincides with several severe flu outbreaks. About a quarter of clinical infections are caused by the influenza B virus each year. Influenza B viruses are sometimes the dominant strain circulating during influenza season, such as the 2019-20 US flu season when influenza B caused more than 50 percent of infections. Influenza B has